Wedding Dress Showdown: Kate Middleton vs. Princess Diana

If there were ever a gown that Queen Victoria, originator of the white wedding dress,would have approved of, Kate Middleton's is it. We can all rest assured that she is nodding and offering a smile of approval from a fierce corner of fashion heaven right now.

Kate Middleton's dress. Flawless. Stunning. Amazing. A vision in white. The girl who's looked like somebody I could have gone to college with -- and played flip cup with -- finally looks like a real-life fairytale princess. She looks like she rode out of a castle in the woods on a white horse in that dress. She looks like somebody who wouldn't dare go near a flip-cup table. (Although you never know what will happen when Prince Harry is around.)

Like many people this morning, though, I kept thinking of Princess Diana. And how Kate's dress compared. And how much prettier it was. And how I've always thought Diana's dress was kind of heinous.

Okay, first let's discuss the similarities with their dresses. Looooong train? Check. Long sleeves? Checkity check. Tiara? Checkarooney. Veil? Checky McCheckerstein. Alright, so Kate Middleton's dress has a fair amount in common with the late, great Lady Di's. However, when it came to everything else -- especially all the fun, little details -- Kate has it all over Diana.

Look, I realize that when Princess Di got married it was the '80s, a terribly unforgiving time for fashion, but, still, her dress was so ... '80s! I've always thought it to be way too much -- even back then. There I said it. The incredibly poufy sleeves. The ruffles and lace and bows around the neck. The fact that the dress looked like it was four sizes too big! That dress is now a rendition of what girls wear when there's an "'80s party" to attend -- of course, said dresses are usually much brighter and much sluttier. Queen Vic would definitely not approve.

Kate's dress was clean, refreshing, perfectly tailored, and dare I say, timeless? I'm no Sarah Burton, but to me, Kate's dress doesn't look like something we'll all look back on years to come and go, "What was she thinking?" Unfortunately, we can't really say the same for Princess Di, now can we?

That said, though, I do think the two princesses have a lot in wedding dress common overall. Both women seemed to want to be a bit playful with their dresses. Neither looked like a desperate attempt to please the Queen, yet they both looked tasteful (sort of) and respectful.

So even though Kate Middleton's dress was a far cry (read, much better) from Diana's, I do think Diana is probably smiling down at her from fashion heaven, too. Work it, girl.